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5 Top Options for Affordable Retirement in Europe

By U.S. News & World Report

European adventures

Europe is a more affordable retirement overseas option than it’s been in a long time. If you’ve got dollars to spend in Europe, you might be surprised by your buying power. The European retirement of your dreams is increasingly realistic, even for those with a tight budget. Here are five places where it is particularly appealing to enjoy a European lifestyle at a low cost:

Marais, Paris, France

Narrow cobblestoned streets, exposed stone walls and beamed buildings with slanting rooflines are common sights and testaments to the district’s medieval history. Today, the Marais is a trendy and desirable neighborhood with restaurants, cafés and boutiques. To live in the Marais is to live in the heart — geographic, cultural, historical, architectural and social — of a city that is considered by many to be the heart of refined Western culture. Within a 20-minute walk are Notre Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, La Conciergerie, the Pantheon and the Louvre. Retirement in the heart of Paris doesn’t get better than this.

Carcassonne, France

Walt Disney is said to have been inspired by its towers, turrets and ramparts, and you can understand why when the sun rises up over the medieval city of Carcassonne in southeast France. Today, the city of Carcassonne has two parts: the medieval Cité (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) up on a plateau on the right bank of the river Aude, and the Bastide Saint Louis below the Cité on the left bank. Within the Cité are the medieval castle, St. Nazarius Basilica, boutiques, artists’ workshops and Michelin-starred restaurants. Life in the Bastide is centered on the Place Carnot, with its pretty fountain, streetside cafés and restaurants. Within an hour of Carcassonne are the sandy beaches of the Mediterranean, and 90 minutes away is skiing in the Pyrenees.

Abruzzo, Italy

This region is one of Italy’s secret treasures. Relatively unknown to foreign visitors, sparsely populated Abruzzo is where central Italy merges into the languid realms of the deep south. Even though many parts of the area are only an hour’s drive from Rome, it clings onto its secret feel. The main town in the region, Pescara, has one of the best city beaches in Europe, and not far away is some of the best skiing outside of the Alps. In spring, it’s possible to combine a morning on the Apennine ski slopes with an afternoon at the beach.

Barcelona, Spain

This city has a great deal to offer, from fantastic art and architecture, to theaters, restaurants and shopping. Despite being Spain’s second-biggest city, Barcelona has a compact design that is easy to explore. Its 100 square kilometers contain about 1.6 million people in the city center and another 4 million in the suburbs. Barcelona is the economic, cultural and administrative capital of Catalonia, situated in the northeast of Spain on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. All the amenities of the world’s best cities are here, plus you have easy access to the beautiful Costa Brava to the north and the Costa Dorada to the south.

Algarve, Portugal

Located at the Continent’s westernmost tip and boasting 100 miles of Atlantic coastline, the Algarve could be Europe’s most famous secret. This region boasts some of Europe’s best beaches and golf courses, as well as friendly folk and a low cost of living. European retirees have recognized all that the Algarve has to offer for a long time, and this sunny coastal region is the chosen destination for more than 100,000 of them. If you’re looking for a Continental lifestyle and don’t have the budget for France, Italy or Spain, this could be just the spot for you. Retirement on Portugal’s coast can be as good as life gets.

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5 Top Options for Affordable Retirement in Europe originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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